Old age is rapidly changing as citizens (tens of thousands, as part of the so-called baby boom) who dominate, or at least use technology daily and fluently, enter this stage of life, having had direct contact with it in their work and personal environments.
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This is indicated by the latest article published by the CSIC’s Aging Network team, which anticipates that as digital generations age, accessibility to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) will be more advanced. “For future generations of older adults, connectivity will be so natural that the idea of being ‘disconnected’ will be almost unimaginable. In this sense, the near future of older people seems to be marked by an integration of technology in all aspects of their daily lives,” the study notes.
Researchers Ana Belén Castillo, Julio Pérez, and Diego Ramiro reach this conclusion after analyzing the use and digital habits of people over 65, divided into two groups: 65 to 74 years old and those 75 or older.
Between 2006 and 2025, ICT use in the first group has become widespread: 85% use the internet and 75% use it intensively (at least 5 days a week), 29% have made online purchases in the last three months, and mobile phone use is almost universal (96%).
Internet use in this group is mainly oriented towards communication: 81.8% use instant messaging and 57.6% make video calls. Practical uses such as reading news (59.3%) and online banking (51.5%) also stand out. Additionally, searching for health information is a frequent practice, the study notes.
Soon, connectivity will be so natural among older adults that being ‘disconnected’ will be unimaginable
Those who do not use the internet mainly cite difficulty of use (8.6%) and lack of need (8.1%). To a lesser extent, distrust in information (4.4%), privacy or security concerns (4.2%), and physical or mental limitations (4.1%) influence, while cost is minimal (1.5%).
The use of electronic identification tools to access online services among people aged 65 to 74 is moderate: 3 out of 10 have used some form of electronic ID, mainly for access to national administration or public services (27.5%), while use in the business sector (banking, digital market) is lower (10%) and access to public services in other EU countries is “residual” (5.7%), they explain.
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In general, people between 65 and 74 have increased their familiarity with internet use, standing out in areas such as communication, collaboration, and data literacy. However, the article’s authors indicate that significant limitations persist in digital content creation, security skills, and problem-solving, highlighting the need to continue strengthening their technological training.
Regarding those 75 and older, internet use is clearly higher among people aged 75 to 84, with 53% having used it recently and 42.7% connecting intensively. From age 85, use declines, although 17% connect at least 5 days a week and 11% several times a day. Men show slightly higher usage levels in most indicators.
Internet use is concentrated on communication: messaging is the most widespread (40.6%) and video calls (25%)
Internet use is concentrated on communication activities: instant messaging is the most widespread (40.6%), followed by video calls (25%); reading news (24%), email (20%), and online banking (18.2%) also stand out.
CSIC experts believe there is still ample room to strengthen digital skills among older adults, as well as to improve accessible support channels when difficulties arise in using the Internet and its tools. “This reinforcement is key to ensuring they can take full advantage of ICT safely and independently,” they indicate.
They reiterate that although the use of electronic identification tools among older adults remains limited, it is a “key option to facilitate communication with the administration, so greater dissemination and concrete actions are required to promote its adoption among this population segment,” state the Aging Network team.
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